


A Mother's Perspective

by ZiquilaLeo



Series: Naruto & Shikamaru As Childhood Friends [5]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Light Angst, Meeting the Family Gone Wrong, Misunderstandings, Overprotective mom, first impressions gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-11-27 23:41:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20956865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZiquilaLeo/pseuds/ZiquilaLeo
Summary: Nara Yoshino's point of view of when Shikamaru brought Naruto home.





	A Mother's Perspective

Nara Yoshino married into the Nara Clan, wedded to the Clan Head himself. She knew what she was getting herself into and how it was expected of her to give birth to the next Heir of the Clan.

Now, she loves her husband and son, all their flaws and laziness, everything. She wouldn’t change them for the world no matter how much their antics irritate her. Sure, she’s strict, but that’s because inborn Naras are genetically lazy, their nature the definition of passive, and are constantly in need of being kicked into gear almost all the time.

Her son is no exception to the Nara genes.

In fact, Shikamaru is lazier than his father, the boy prone to slack off the second she takes her eyes off him.

She’s already lost count how many times she had to give him the same lectures over and over again: the responsibilities of being Clan Heir, the necessity of developing close relations to other clans, or the meaning of being a shinobi. 

She knows he understands, knows he knows everything that needs to be done and how to do it, but instead he lazes around and complains about how troublesome it all is with effort he never puts into anything else, childishly ignoring her concerns that also happens to be his. Or at least should be.

The _gall_ of that boy to walk out in the middle of her lecture also frustrates her to no end!

“Yoshino, don’t you think you should give him a break?” Her husband says from the kitchen door, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed.

She glares at him, and unsurprisingly he takes a step back, wisely holding his hands up in surrender now that he’s stepped onto the minefield for the day.

“Look,” he starts slowly, “Shikamaru already knows all of this.”

“I know he does!” She can’t help but snap, turning back to finish cutting the vegetables for the hotpot. “He still hasn’t made any progress with befriending Ino, and I want them to hurry and solidify their bonds as a team so they could start their team training already!”

Shikaku sighs, his feet intentionally padding against the floorboards as he makes his way to her. He hugs her from behind, chin resting against her shoulders. “You can’t rush these things, Yoshino. It takes time, and you know that. Shikamaru probably has his reasons for being obstinate about this. I know you’re worried about his future, but what you’re doing isn’t helping him change his mind on befriending a girl and his training.”

Yoshino knows all of this, but the knowledge doesn’t do anything to assuage her anxiety and ire. It’s expected of her son to become a shinobi since he was born into a shinobi clan and also its Heir. It's a fate he can't ignore nor be careless about. 

She just wants Shikamaru to think seriously for a change. He doesn’t have the luxury of being laid back and carefree if he doesn’t have the strength to back it up. Having an IQ higher than the rest of his generation isn’t going to cut it either in the shinobi world where logic and sanity are morally twisted beyond logical and sane for even shinobi standards. 

The world they were born into is a cruel place filled with people who won’t wait for them to stop and think. She knows from countless experiences. 

Shikuku’s first mission gone wrong is a prime example which had left him physically scarred on his cheek, his teammates on the brink of death, and the corpse of their Jounin-sensei charred to the bones. 

Shikamaru knows this, but doesn’t _know_ it. The despair. The Pain. 

She would be the nagging, strict mother everyday if it means preparing him for the inevitable loss that’ll one day break his heart. 

Their line of duty almost always guarantees them the unfortunate experience. 

If it means preventing his name being inscribed on the Memorial Stone, or him being the reason someone is being buried in his place, then damn well will she pound all their expectations into his head. 

She won’t let her baby follow in their footsteps of mistakes.

(Too many times has she seen history repeated time and time again. Lessons never learned until it’s too late.)

As his mother, and as a veteran kunoichi of Konohagakure, she can give her son all the pointers she’s learned through her own experiences to help him survive in the shinobi world. 

That is, if she can get him to take any of his training seriously.

Yoshino slams the knife onto the cutting board with a loud bang, teeth grinding from how her son could thoughtlessly shrug off her concern with no regard of her feelings.

As if knowing what’s on her mind – and with his smarts, she doesn’t doubt he does – Shikaku kisses the side of her neck, brief and chaste, followed by a few more down her shoulder.

She feels the tension in her shoulders unknotting, her grip on the kitchen knife loosening, and sighs.

“Do you need any help?” His breath tickles her ear.

A blush crawls up her face, and she slices the cabbage with a little more force than necessary. “You can wash the dishes!”

Yes. She loves her boys and wouldn’t change them for the world, even if they irritate her to no end.

Shikaku groans, but takes his position beside her at the sink.

“I don’t want to hear you complain,” she glares at him, wearing an embarrassed scowl when she spots the soft smile he’s trying to hold back. Clearly, he wants her to hit him upside the head. If he thinks she’ll let him get away with being amused at her Academy-girl reaction to his method of relaxing her and uplifting her mood, then he has another thing coming for him. “When you’re finished with that you can also go and set the table.” 

She smirks at the unimpressed frown he sends her.

A comfortable silence falls over them as they work together, the atmosphere easing into a homey one as the tension dies down. So it’s easy for them to hear the front door slide open half an hour later, the shuffling sounds reaching their ears and notifying them their son isn’t alone.

“I’m home! And I brought company!” Shikamaru calls out.

Her frustration from earlier returns suddenly, the disrespect and disregard towards her and her words having her blood boil to teach her son a good old lesson. 

Just because her husband talked to her about rushing things and being too demanding doesn’t mean she’s going to stop any time soon.

She ignores Shikaku’s exasperated sigh and stomps towards the front door with the wooden spoon she was using to stir the hotpot clutched tightly in her hand. “Shikamaru,” she bellows, the wooden spoon trembling in her grip as she storms towards her son, “I’m not finished talking to you, young man! You’re going to get it! I don’t care if you bring Chouji over, you’re going to—“

A frightened screech stops her mid-rant, freezing her in place with her arm still aloft where it had been brandishing her wooden spoon. 

That bright spiky BLOND hair and WHISKERED cheeks does not belong to her son’s best friend.

Uzumaki Naruto cowers behind her son, expression showing how scared he is. He turns to run, but her son surprisingly has a tight grip on the boy’s hand, and what?

What the hell is going on? _Why is Naruto here?_ Also, she’d like to know why is he running from her? She isn’t going to _hit_ him.

“Kaasan wait! You’re scaring him!” Shikamaru shouts towards her. 

Yoshino quickly puts her arm down and stares questioningly at the unlikely pair, studying the horror on their new and uninvited guest’s face. Idly, she wonders about her son’s motives for bringing home this boy when Shikamaru is so against befriending Ino.

Naruto tries to pull his arm free. “Let go,” he whispers loudly, blue eyes glancing between her and her son, “I don’t think I should be here!”

Yoshino’s eyebrows furrow, only further confused. She’s about to ask her son why he’d forcibly brought someone home when her husband decides to make an appearance.

“What’s going on?” No doubt he heard the commotion from the kitchen.

And then, the poor boy’s face turns alarmingly pale, eyes going wide as saucers. “I’m really sorry!” Naruto blurts out. “I didn’t mean to intrude! I’ll leave right away and won’t come back!” 

Getting fed up with this non-sensible blabbering, Yoshino steps forward to demand answers only to pause in shock at the plea of, “Just please don’t hurt me!” The boy’s eyes screw shut, free arm up to defend his face from a hit that isn’t going to come.

Yoshino’s heart sinks as the pieces slot together of the reason for Naruto’s panicked reaction. 

She isn’t deaf or blind to the villagers’ animosity towards the blond. She can vaguely remember that one incident the boy fell victim to some drunk mob a few years back. She’s even heard the cruel whispers about the boy at the bar during those rare times she’d go there to fetch Shikaku.

She isn’t like them of course. She can tell a kunai from its pouch, and she has faith in the Yondaime’s sealing abilities, especially when the man decided to seal the strongest of the Bijuu inside his own son. 

Like most Naras, except for the very few who are bitter of losing friends to the Kyuubi back then, her and Shikaku know Naruto isn’t the demon.

Despite all she’s heard of the boy, she doesn’t know him personally, only heard complaints of pranks and how the child ruins businesses and people’s lives.

She isn’t aware, however, if there’s more behind the whispers, if the villagers go beyond just words and unfair treatments. 

What she is aware at the moment is that she clearly fucked up and deeply wishes to redo the boy’s first impression of her so he doesn’t look at her like _she’s_ the demon sealed inside him.. 

Naruto blinks up at them, tears shining in his eyes and sliding down whiskered cheeks. 

For the first time Yoshino regrets that she hadn’t let go of her anger towards her son. The blond probably thinks she’s angry at him for intruding into their home when she’s not.

Then, the boy turns around and flees. From them. From _her_. As if she would ever lay a hand on Kushina and Minato’s baby.

“Naruto wait!” Her son shouts after the boy, fumbling to put his shoes back on. “Damnit,” he hisses out after he trips over the other boy’s forgotten slippers.

“Shikamaru, wait,” Shikaku lays a firm hand on their son’s shoulder to keep him from running off into the cold. “Mind telling us what’s going on?”

Shikamaru frowns, glaring down at the forgotten slippers. It takes a couple seconds for him to reply. “I thought over your words – about the village being afraid of Naruto and hating him – and decided I didn’t care and wanted to try being friends with him.” He glares accusingly at Yoshino, and she flinches at the disappointment and annoyance in her son’s eyes. His eyes flicker back down to the forgotten slippers. “But, I didn’t think of how he’d react to Kaasan’s usual nagging, and then he…”

Yoshino bites her bottom lip. She wants to scold her son for doing something without their permission and so last minute; she also wants to whack her own head with the wooden spoon for scaring the other boy enough to flee from her family of all people.

Shikaku sighs and ruffles Shikamaru’s hair. “You should find him tomorrow,” her husband states and quickly adds on when both her and Shikamaru glare at him, “I mean, Naruto is infamous for escaping when he doesn’t want to be caught. You wouldn’t be able to catch him even if you tried your hardest, and I’m sure you don’t know where he lives either. I’m not saying to leave him alone; if you want to be friends with him, then go right ahead. Just, next time, warn us of something like this, okay?”

Shikamaru looks back at the front door that’s still open, eyes displaying how torn he is to stay or go after the blond. “Fine,” he says as he slowly closes the door; it mattered little as the cold had already invaded their home. He grabs the forgotten slippers and drags his feet to his bedroom in silence.

“It’s not your fault,” Shikaku firmly states as soon as they’re alone.

“You’re right,” Yoshino concedes, “It’s both our fault.”

Her husband doesn’t answer, instead taking her hand and leading her back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. When they’re done cooking, she shares a glance with her husband and leaves him to set the table while she goes and call their son to eat.

She takes a deep breath before knocking on his door. “Shikamaru, dinner is ready.”

It takes a long while for him to open the door, standing in front of her with a frown and furrowed eyebrows. He doesn’t look up at her, and normally she wouldn’t have mind, but this time the lack of gesture hurts more than it would have annoyed her.

“I’m sorry,” they say at the time, and startle. They blink at each other.

“...I’m sorry, for pulling this stunt and walking out on you while you were speaking,” Shikamaru fiddles nervously with the ends of his sleeves. 

“I’m sorry too,” She replies back. “I know I’ve been a little overbearing, but I do it because I care, and I only want what’s best for you.”

“A little?” Her son whispers incredulously.

“Huh? What was that?”

“Nothing!”

Yoshino smiles in relief, gently rubbing her son’s back. “Come on, your father is waiting for us.”

They walk back to the kitchen where Shikaku is waiting, the three of them taking their place before eating.

“Itadakimasu.”

Shikamaru’s chopsticks hover over the boiling pot, eyes staring intently at the meal. “Did you know Naruto has never heard of hotpot until I told him about it?”

Mentally sighing, Yoshino calmly puts down her chopsticks, Shikaku quietly mimicking her with a resigned expression. She stares at her son, mouth set in a thin line, knowing he isn’t going to let earlier go.

Shikamaru glances up from the pot to stare at them. “You didn’t give me a straight answer the last time. Why the village seems to dislike Naruto and is afraid of him.”

“Shikamaru, does it matter? I thought you didn’t care what the villagers thought of him. That only your thoughts matter, and if you want to be friends with Naruto, how it’s your decision,” is her husband’s automatic response.

Her son makes a face, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. “Is it something I’m not supposed to know?” Stubbornly pressing for the answer they can’t give.

“Yes,” Yoshino speaks before her husband can, deciding to be direct as an apology for earlier. For both boys’ sake. “Any mention of the reason why the villagers treat Uzumaki Naruto the way they do is treason and punishable by death.”

“Yoshino,” Shikaku warns. She can feel his eyes burning into the side of her face.

“Quiet, I’m not going to say anything important.” 

She meets the wide eyes of her son and takes this chance to instill the importance of what lies ahead of him. 

“You’re smart Shikamaru and no doubt will become smarter as you grow. Perhaps you’ll figure out the reason before anyone else in your generation, but when you do, be careful with that knowledge. While information is powerful, it can also be dangerous, not only for the person it’s about but also yourself. If you want a straight answer, you’ll have to look for it yourself, and do so discreetly since I know stopping you Naras from getting an answer is next to impossible.”

“Be careful,” her husband adds, resigning to the fact that there’s no stopping their son. “Your mother is right. I don’t want you to go poking your nose in places that could get you in trouble. As much as Konoha looks peaceful on the surface, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a shinobi village to its core. Please make sure you heed our warnings, Shikamaru, and never forget them.”

Their son is frowning, a contemplative expression on his face. “I understand.” Not everything, but enough. Yoshino can only hope he does.

“Good,” Shikaku clears his throat, and picks up his chopsticks. “Now can we eat?” And they do.

*

Once they’re done eating, Shikaku leaves to finish some paperwork while Shikamaru and her clean up the mess. 

“Kaasan?” Shikamaru asks once they’ve put all the dishes in the sink. “Do you think Naruto and I…can really be friends?”

“Hm? What brought this on?”

“We’re completely different. I don’t think he understands a lot of things other kids like me do, and I, myself, barely understand him.”

Yoshino kneels down in front of her son, making sure their eyes are locked, and says, “I don’t know. Sometimes there are things we will never be able to understand when it comes to another person, and that’s okay; other times you may understand more than anyone else. But, in my opinion, I think you two would get along just fine.”

“How do you know?” He asks dryly. “You don’t even know Naruto.”

“True,” she admits. “But, the few times I’ve seen him, he does remind me of someone I used to know, an old friend of your father’s. Your father and his friend made for a frightening pair back in the day, and I’m sure you and Naruto will too. You both just need time.”

Shikamaru takes a moment to let her words sink in before he blushes, scratching the back of his head. “Uh, thanks Kaasan.”

Yoshino smiles, a little sad that this is the first time she’s ever had her son personally come to her and ask for her opinion on something. “You’re welcome,” she gets up and pats his head, “Now if only you could be like this with Ino, then…”

She grins at the annoyed groan her son makes.

“Not this again…” he mutters under his breath.

“Excuse me?” She narrows her eyes threateningly.

“Nothing!” Shikamaru shouts before he quickly walks away, leaving her to wash the dishes by herself.

Yoshino chuckles softly, feeling a little better. Like her son, it seems she too has a lot more to learn. 

_Hopefully Shikamaru fixes the misunderstanding with Naruto soon. That way I can have a reason to be in Kushina’s child’s life. Kami knows the boy needs some parental guidance and people there for him when life becomes too hard for him because of a burden placed on his shoulders by his parents._

And of course she knows who the boy’s parents are. Kushina had been the only Uzumaki from her generation that lived in Konoha, and Naruto's coloring solely belonged to Minato.

The couple may have also been subtle and secretive enough of their relationship to the whole shinobi world, but they couldn’t fool their circle of friends who grew up together since their Academy days and survived through two wars that made everyday feel like their last and had them practically living in the same hideout half of their lives.

_I wonder if Naruto is a fan of ramen like his parents... Maybe next time I’ll make some as an apology._

*

Little does Yoshino know just how much her son taking heart to their words will change the destinies of many individuals lost on The Road of Life.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank Omi_Smith for helping make this short story much more smoother for you readers to enjoy!


End file.
